1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is that of methods and apparatus for converting the energy of fluid mass at elevation into kinetic energy in the process of conveying the fluid to a lower elevation. One specific benefit of which would be the subsequent generation of electricity from said kinetic energy such as that accomplished in hydroelectric power generation.
2. Description of Related Art
Of commercial high capacity renewable energy sources, water has the longest history, is the most easily harnessed and has the best potential for an environmentally friendly source of energy. The invention is intended to provide a preferred device for use in hydroelectric mechanisms for the conversion of potential energy in the water to mechanical energy. This energy would then be used to power electrical generation equipment or put to other productive use. The alternative methods to accomplish this that are currently in place include but are not limited to: turbines, water wheels, hydraulic ram pumps, wave and tidal capture and other mechanisms. Each of these has inherent negatives, many of which are addressed in the AquaHelix, the mechanism herein described. The device herein has the potential for retrofit in existing hydroelectric dams and well as in new construction and smaller personal installations. The simplicity of this device may make the cost and effort of operation appealing in situations otherwise unfeasible for conventional technologies
Much of the prior art that has been identified in a patent search has embodied numerous variations of using a blade of some manner (turbine, impeller, vane or wing) similar to a fan, whereby the inertial force of a fluid or gas in motion is impinging against the blade or the Bernoulli effect of passing over the blade results in a force and resulting in motion. The significant differentiation of the device proposed in this patent is that the helical baffles serve only to contain the fluid and no fan-like or wing like effect is present in the device. The development of power is effected from the conversion of elevational potential energy to kinetic mechanical energy as a mass of fluid is lowered from one elevation to a lower elevation. The movement of fluid in the invention is positive displacement in nature as a contained volume of fluid in a baffle area is constrained and lowered as a batch. The small relative amount kinetic energy associated with the gradual lowering of the batch of water is inconsequential to the conversion and capture of the potential energy and in fact there is no mechanism present in the invention to attempt to capture the kinetic component of the energy contained in the fluid. In the evaluation of the numerous prior arts detailed below the reliance on the kinetic energy of a moving stream of fluid is a significant distinction which is described above and is referenced in the subsequent details as “reliance on conversion of kinetic energy”
U.S. Pat. No. 6,327,994 Dec. 11, 2001—Labrador
This amazing piece encompasses a mass of 127 related claims all of which are dependent claims to Claim number 1 or are dependent to another claim which in turn is dependent on claim one. Claim one states in part to “ . . . imped and to drive moving fluids/air in order to pump/compress and to convert . . . ” The proposed device described in the invention application does not purport to extract energy from moving fluids or air and therefore is distinct and cannot be in conflict with the claims of 994.
U.S. Pat. No. 928,782 Jul. 20, 1909—Morrison
Unlike the device proposed in the invention, this device necessitates being placed “in a water course” and deriving energy from the impinging of moving water on an “impact area for causing rotation of the cylinder.” This is one of the devices that as described above, “relies on the conversion of kinetic energy” of flowing water, similar to that of putting an impeller in a moving stream. This is significantly distinct from the mechanism in the invention as previously discussed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,175 Aug. 10, 1980—Carpenter
This device describes a wind turbine and does not apply to fluids, in addition it “relies on the conversion of kinetic energy” from the medium, in this case a gas which is materially different from the mechanism described in the invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,685 Jun. 9, 1981—Toyama
This patent describes a variation on a traditional fluid turbine where by fluid in motion is converted by turbines to mechanical energy. Fluid is taken from the “bottom of the dam” and is subsequently converted. This the invention device is not infringing as it does not propose nor would it be possible to utilize an off take at the bottom of a dam and the 685 patent “relies on the conversion of kinetic energy” as previously discussed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,354 Apr. 20, 1982—Fuchs
This patent describes a variable transmission device intended to optimize the speed of a wind driven blade for maximum efficiency. It is non applicable to the invention device proposed as the invention is a positive displacement device and the ratio of fluid flow to rotational speed is not subject to slippage or optimization in the manor described in 354.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,716, Apr. 23, 1985—McHenry et al.
This patent describes a device to optimize the radial velocity profile of a gas flow into a turbine to optimize efficiency such that the speed of the gases adjacent to the axis is faster than that approaching the radius. As the device described in the invention does not extract energy from the kinetic energy of motion or pertain to the extraction of energy from gases of any form, it is not subject to infringement of this patent.
Minimum prior art of this nature has been discovered. The concept utilized in typical cement mixer trucks actually has similar characteristics albeit run in a reverse fashion, and for the purpose of mixing in a closed recycled nature rather than for transport from one elevation to another and for energy conversion.
A search of prior art in the area of this invention resulted in the following related but differientiated patents. Substantial differences between claims herein and prior art is described below.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,700 covers the use of a helical blade submerged in a fluid flow in an attempt to convert energy. The claims of that patent differ in numerous ways from that covered herein, but most significantly in that the basic concept and design is to convert the kinetic energy of moving fluid to mechanical energy via a foil effect versus the basic design covered herein to extract potential energy from a fluid by a change in elevation into mechanical energy.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,226 covered a scheme whereby the internal volume of a tube is changed by a helical constraint around a pliable tube that causes a pumping action when the assembly is subjected to distortion. This patent also differs in substantial ways, the greatest of which is the lack of helical baffles that constrain a fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,430 covered a scheme whereby a stationary helix is utilized to impart a swirl motion to fluid prior to entry into a turbine or propeller to improve efficiency of the turbine or propeller. The device claimed herein is not designed to optimize efficiency of a subsequent step such as a turbine or propeller; it is an energy conversion device in its own right.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,304 describes a compressor consisting of a spiral grove and blade along the length of a cylinder, the geometry of the device varies along its length such that the fluid is compressed in volume as it moves from input to output. The device claimed herein is not designed to compress fluid, nor does it rely on the relative motion of internal and external rotating bodies or a blade fitted to a helical grove.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,253,700 and 6,293,835 describes a plurality of air foil shapes blades to be utilized in conjunction with an ultra low-head fluid in order to extract or impart kinetic energy from or to a fluid or gas. The device claimed herein differs in substantial ways, the most significant of which is the necessity for a material fluid head and lack of the requirement of air foil shapes blades or material kinetic energy in the fluid or gas.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,855 describes a compressor consisting of a set of helical rotors which intermesh in order to create a positive displacement pump for creation of pressure or vacuum. The device claimed herein differs in substantial ways, the most significant of which is the lack of necessity for dual intermeshing helical rotors.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,673 describes a pump consisting of a helical baffle through which one or more balls are transported resulting in the displacement and transport of the surrounding fluid. The device described herein among numerous differences does not rely on the use of balls in the helical channels.
No other patents or demonstrations of similar technology have been discovered in USPTO searches or during research and development of this patent.
Unmet Opportunity in the Industry
With the recent power shortages, middle eastern oil concerns and national attention to energy costs, this device offers an attractive solution to harnessing more energy from existing and new hydroelectric generation dams and providing a solution for smaller installations for personal use, industrial use or sale back to the power grid under PUC net metering regulations. The device offers a potentially significant improvement in the conversion efficiency, offering more power from existing installations or the same power from fewer installations.
With the growing concern over the regrettable killing of fish and marine animals in hydroelectric turbines, this invention will be particularly attractive. It should dramatically reduce this problem by eliminating the high speed under water blades and the small volumes of “uncleaved” water that pass thru the turbines and well as dramatically reducing the turbulence and velocity that the water and wild life are subjected to in traditional turbine installations.